And Baby Makes Three
by PhantomWriterAnon
Summary: DianeXKing, Kiane. One-Shot. King didn't yell - at least, not at her. He was always the one defending her honor, the one picking up the pieces when some jerk decided it would be fun to trample on her feelings... but this time, it was King that had taken her heart and ripped it in half. Or, King is less than thrilled about Diane's pregnancy, and it sparks a major fight between them.


"Diane... can I talk to you for a moment?" The sin of envy startled, not having realized someone had joined her in the meadow. Nevertheless, she turned and gave the third princess of Liones her best smile - even if it was painfully transparent.

"Sure." She patted the soft patch of earth beside her, "What's on your mind, Elizabeth?"

Slowly, Elizabeth lowered herself to the ground. She was silent for several moments as she picked at the fraying hem of her skirt, before saying, "A-Actually, I came to ask you t-the same question."

"Me?" Diane paused for a moment, confusion clear on her pretty face. But then, she schooled her features into an unreadable mask once more, "Don't trouble yourself with me, princess. I'm fine - promise."

But Elizabeth wasn't buying it, "Y-You know you can tell me anything, right Diane? We're comrades."

Diane sighed, "Is it really that obvious?"

Elizabeth laughed awkwardly, "I wouldn't call it o-obvious, but..."

Even if Elizabeth's heart was in the right place, Diane knew that she wouldn't be able to help. It had been a little over a week since _it_ had happened, and Diane wanted nothing more than to be able to forget. It was her strong connection with King that had allowed them to overcome the various obstacles preventing their relationship... but being that close to someone didn't come without a cost.

King didn't yell - at least, not at her. He was always the one defending her honor, the one picking up the pieces when some asshole decided it would be fun to trample on her feelings... but this time, it was _King_ that had taken her heart and ripped it in half, and somehow that hurt one-thousand times more than the human's ridiculing her or the captain constantly rejecting her.

Because this was King... And how could she ever face him again after what they'd said to each other? After what he'd said about -

"How far along are you?" Elizabeth asked softly. She cocked her head to the side, eyes on the slight swell of Diane's midsection.

Diane sighed. She'd been trying so hard to hide it, for fear that the captain would take her off of active duty if he found out... but she supposed it didn't matter anymore. "Four months, I think. I don't know for sure."

Elizabeth frowned, reaching out to touch one of the giant's hands. "You don't seem particularly thrilled."

Much to the princess' alarm, she found that Diane had started crying. "Oh, I am. I'm over the moon! Nothing would make me happier than having Harlequin's baby!" She choked back a sob, "but he... he doesn't..."

"He doesn't want the baby." Elizabeth finished for her, her voice soft.

"No." Diane wrapped her arms around her belly protectively. "A-And I can't..."

What hurt the most was that King's argument was perfectly valid. There were very select cases where cross-breeding between the different races proved successful, and none of them included the off-spring of a fairy and a giant. At best (though to her, this hardly seemed like the 'best case scenario'), she'd have a miscarriage. At worst, she would carry the child to term and both would die during labor. And King didn't want her to experience the unimaginable pain that came with either option.

Not to mention King's nasty inability to defend those he loves. He'd lost too many people to his sin. It was all he could do in the battle against Helbram to defend Diane with all the power he could muster, even if it meant getting beaten senseless in the process. After coming so close to losing everything that ever mattered to him, he didn't want to think what would happen if he lost their child too.

After all, with humanity's growing animosity toward the Giant Clan, it was any wonder what they'd do when faced with a giant-fairy hybrid. He didn't want to be faced with a situation where he'd succumb to his own self-hatred and begin to project it outward, as Helbram had done. He didn't want to hate the humans.

So he'd told her he didn't want the baby. And Diane had pummeled him into the ground.

"We had a really nasty fight. I mean, _really_ nasty. I didn't even know that Harlequin could be so mean." Diane sniffled. "At least, not toward me anyway."

"Could it be that Sir King is j-just really afraid of losing you?" Elizabeth offered weakly. "I mean, h-he's probably really scared. T-This isn't something he can p-protect you from, you know? But it is something that h-he helped create that could _hurt_ you, and that probably terrifies him."

"He's hurting me more by being a pompous asshole." Diane huffed.

Elizabeth started down at the ground, picking up a pebble and twirling it between her fingers. "Diane, you've been g-gone for a week. Sir King is really w-worried -,"

Diane shook her head. "If he was so worried, he could've come find me himself. He didn't have to send you, princess." Elizabeth was about to protest that she'd come of her own volition, when Diane continued, "And I'm not going back until I've had the baby. I'll deliver her on my own if need be."

"Diane, that's dangerous... w-what if something happens during delivery?" Elizabeth protested.

"My little girl and I are gonna be fine all by ourselves. And Harlequin can just go... go..." angrily, she punched the ground, causing a small earthquake to shake the otherwise serene meadow. The earth split in half and a poor bunny rabbit went careening to its demise.

"I can just go _what_?"

Diane whirled around, not realizing that King had been floating behind her and had heard the last bit of her rant. King looked disheveled, the bags under his eyes indicating that he hadn't slept for most of the week since their fight. She couldn't claim she was surprised. Ever since they'd started dating, he slept best when they both were cuddled peacefully on Chastiefol. He'd grown dependent on her, and, much as she hated to admit it right then... the feeling was very much mutual.

Slowly, he floated closer, stopping only when Diane began shuffling away from him. She wrapped her arms tighter around her belly, like she was afraid he'd hurt her or the child. King's face fell.

"Why are you even here?" She snapped, tears burning her eyes once again. When they began to fall, King looked like someone had struck him across the face.

"I-I..." he swallowed hard, clutching Chastiefol to his chest. "The c-captain was worried about the princess. She'd just wandered off on her o-own and he wanted to make sure she made it back to the t-tavern before dark..."

Diane was silent for a moment, allowing his words to sink in before whispering, "So... you really didn't send Elizabeth out here to find me?"

Elizabeth rose to her feet, before slowly making her way over to Diane. Placing a hand on the giant's much larger one, she assured her, "E-Everyone's been so worried. You j-just ran off in the middle o-of the night and nobody could f-find you." And then, softer, "Sir King, especially, has suffered... I h-had to help somehow."

"He should be suffering, with the way he treated me and the baby." Diane grumbled, but her voice had lost it's earlier malice. Now she just sounded tired.

King looked like he wanted to say something, but perhaps thought better of it. Instead, he said, "Perhaps she's right... I shouldn't have come."

"Sir King!" Elizabeth called after him - surely he couldn't be giving up, just like that?

"The captain and the others should be by shortly - so don't worry about that, princess." King said, managing to muster a weak smile. "I know that I messed up, that I can't ever expect her to forgive me for what I've said... I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself, honestly." And then, softer, "It would be best if I left now."

"Sir King..." in the blink of an eye, he'd vanished.

* * *

When the others came and retrieved Elizabeth, Diane supposed it was only natural to assume she'd tell them her location. But she had to admit that she was surprised when Merlin came by a few days later with a flask that was emitting a odorless, purple smoke.

The other sin had also brought her food, enough to feed a starving giant that was now eating for two. Taking a pitcher filled with water, she poured Diane a glass and added two drops of the mysterious concoction. After stirring it, she handed it to the giant and began preparing their plates. There was an unspoken expectation that Diane would drink the beverage she'd been presented... but she was a tiny bit hesitant, given Merlin's unsavory track record with experimentation.

"I worked for four days collecting all the ingredients necessary to create that potion. If you wish to feel better, I would encourage you to drink it." She said gently, "I can assure you that it won't hurt you or the child."

Diane's purple eyes widened, "You know about..?"

"How could I not? King has been positively distraught ever since your fight and has kept me up day and night to find a way to eradicate the risk of your pregnancy."

Diane sniffed the beverage, before taking a tentative sip. Her eyes widened at the rich flavor, like fresh berries kissed by a midsummer rain. She barely managed to get out "This is delicious!" before finishing the entire glass in three quick swallows, already craving more.

"The potion is called 'Rex Lacrimae', which literally translates to 'The King's Tears'." Merlin explained. "What you just drank was King's blood, infused with potent magical energy. Essentially, he strained himself for twenty-four hours at maximum magical output to generate the power needed for the spell to manifest."

Merlin went on to meticulously lay out the basic workings of the spell. The first day, she'd collected the blood from King, which formed the base for the potion. In addition to this, she'd ground up agate (which was believed to protect children), red jasper (to ease the pain of childbirth), tiger eye (for a connection with the earth), and fuchsite (for a connection with the fairies). She'd mixed this with the blood and then set it to boil.

The second day was a day of rest, to ensure that King was strong enough to commence with the proceedings. Should the second step fail, the entire spell would be ruined, and it would be dangerous to attempt it again for several months. The strain it put on an individual's body would be enough to kill a human after only an hour. On the third day, she'd given him a piece of citrine to help channel his magic into the mixture, and left him on his own for twenty-four hours.

"When I returned, his hands were shaking around the gemstone, and he was crying from the pain. But he'd succeeded." Merlin sighed, "The fourth day, he rested. I gave him a few drops of the potion to facilitate the healing process, and he was coming to by the time I left this afternoon."

Diane, a little put off by the fact that she'd drank King's blood (and enjoyed it immensely), frowned. Looking at the steaming flask, she asked, "So what exactly is it supposed to do?"

Merlin considered this for a moment, before responding, "Think of it like Chastiefol's eighth form, Pollen Garden... but inside you." She slipped a cork into the flask, before handing Diane her plate of food. "With this potion, King's magic is protecting both of you from harm, so that you can carry the child to term safely."

Diane frowned, "But I thought... Harlequin said that he didn't want the baby. Why would he..?"

"King always wanted the child, Diane." Merlin said softly, "Just not at the expense of your life. That is why he tried so hard to find a way around the risk."

Diane began picking at her food, but it was clear her mind was elsewhere. Staring at the flask, the true extent of King's suffering for her slowly began to sink in, and she felt her heart break for an entirely different reason. King had been willing to put his life on the line for her and their unborn child... how could she ever think that he didn't love either of them?

"I need to see him." She said firmly, her tone leaving no room for debate.

Merlin only nodded, as if she'd expected such a response. "And you will. Eat your food to build up your strength, and then I will take you back to the tavern."

"Thank you, Merlin."

Now knowing that she would be seeing King sooner rather than later, she ate her fill of the feast that Merlin had prepared for them. Once they had both finished, Merlin packed everything back into the basket and rose to her feet, brushing crushed flowers and tiny blades of grass from her jacket. She watched, silently, as Diane climbed to her feet, the slight swell of her abdomen apparent beneath her bright orange dress.

"Let's go see King, hmm?" And the mage couldn't help but smile when Diane grinned brightly, offering an enthusiastic nod in response.

* * *

Diane stood outside of the tavern, eyeing King through the window of the bedroom he shared with Ban. His face was flushed with fever, and he fidgeted in his sleep as though he were trapped in a nightmare. Diane wished she could do more than stand silent vigil outside his window... but it was too dangerous in her current condition to take the shrinking pills, so she'd simply have to wait for him to wake on his own.

Apparently, she wouldn't have to wait long. With a small shout, King startled into consciousness. Tears were dripping down his cheeks as the last vestiges of the horrible dream clung to him like a dark shroud, and he angrily wiped them away with trembling hands. It was only once most of the tears were dried that he noticed Diane's face hovering by the window, causing him to jump for an entirely different reason. A dark red blush slowly spread over his cheeks.

"D-Diane... w-what're you d-doing here? Not that you're not welcome!" He hurried to add, not wanting to further upset her and cause her to leave again.

"You look really sick, Harlequin." Diane said softly. She didn't like the deathly white of his skin, or the sweat that had broken out just from the effort of getting out of bed to speak with her. "Rest up a little more, and we can talk later."

King rubbed at his eyes again, a little bit harder this time. "Am I hallucinating?" He whispered, because surely Diane hadn't come back and was _worrying_ over him...

In response, Diane beckoned him closer. Against his better judgement, he allowed her to lead him outside. In his weakness, he was barely able to keep himself afloat, and Chastiefol was doing most of the work for him. With a soft "oomph", the Fairy King, and his pillow, collapsed into her hand. "You'll sleep better out here with me."

"Diane..?" He looked up at the giant, surprised by her sudden kindness. The look of surprise morphed into one of embarrassment when she slowly set the pillow down on her chest, and he noted his close proximity to her breasts. If possible, pregnancy seemed to have _enhanced_ their size...

Diane chuckled, "You shouldn't be so embarrassed, Harlequin. I think you've seen them once or twice. We are going to have a baby, after all."

"R-Right." He buried his face into Chastiefol, feeling his eyes grow heavy as sleep threatened to claim him once again.

In the perfect stillness that was that summer night, King could feel two distinct power levels emanating from Diane's body. The second power level was very weak, no doubt coming from the tiny life growing inside Diane. If he listened closely, he could hear his own magic thrum to the beat of their little one's heart.

He fell asleep like that, his earlier nightmares replaced by vivid dreams of their child. Secretly, while he would be beyond thrilled with either gender, he hoped for a little girl with Diane's violet eyes and chocolate-brown hair. He dreamed of playing tag with her in the meadow, like he'd done with Diane all those years ago... Of teaching her how to control her magic... Of giving every last thing he had to protect her, even if that meant losing his life.

He wasn't sure if he just imagined feeling Diane's fingers brush gently over his side, or her whispering "Sleep well, my King", but even so, it was undoubtedly the best rest he'd gotten since their fight two weeks earlier.

* * *

"So... is it true, what Merlin said?" Diane flushed, hiding behind her hair. "Is it true that you really wanted to have a baby with me this whole time?"

"O-Of course!" King stuttered, aghast at the idea that she ever could have doubted him. "I just... I guess I went about expressing my fears the wrong way." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "I l-love you and this b-baby more than anything."

Diane smiled brightly, "I can see that now. Are you feeling any better?"

"Much!" King nodded enthusiastically.

"Good, 'cause I could kill for some grub. Let's go pick some berries, Harlequin." And with that, she climbed to her feet and started off in the direction of the forest, the tiny fairy floating behind her. "A-And Harlequin?"

Diane stopped so abruptly, King almost flew right past her. "Y-Yeah?"

"I'm really sorry about that stupid fight we had. I should've known better." Diane blinked back the tears collecting in her eyes, before whispering, "I really do love you... and I know that you'll make a great Daddy to our little girl."

King flushed bright red at Diane's confession, before stuttering, "Y-You have no r-reason to apologize. _I_ should b-be the one a-apologizing." And then, as if he suddenly remembered the second half of Diane's statement, he blurted out, "I l-love you too! And... Do you really t-think so?"

Diane nodded, "I know it!" And just like that, all was forgiven as they headed toward the forest, casually tossing potential baby names back and forth along the way.


End file.
